The Adventures of Fu Manchu
Encyclopedia
The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu is a syndicated American television series that aired in 1956. The show was produced by Hollywood Television Service, a subsidiary of Republic Pictures
.
and announced they would film 78 episodes, but only 13 were made following a protracted court battle over the rights between Rohmer and the producers.
with the narrator
telling us that "It is said the Devil plays for men's souls. So does Dr. Fu Manchu, evil incarnate." At the end of each episode, after Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie had foiled Fu Manchu's latest fiendish scheme, Fu Manchu would be seen breaking a black chess piece as the closing credits rolled.
The series was directed by noted serial director Franklin Adreon
as well as William Witney
. Unlike the Holmes/Watson type relationship of the films, the series featured Smith as a law enforcement official and Petrie as a staff member of the Surgeon General.
The series was similar in some ways to a serial but each episode ended in a resolution rather than a cliffhanger
. Republic sent out a film crew to Hong Kong to shoot background footage and supplied stock footage
from its library of films.
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
.
Background
Republic Pictures had paid US$4 Million to Sax RohmerSax Rohmer
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward , better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr...
and announced they would film 78 episodes, but only 13 were made following a protracted court battle over the rights between Rohmer and the producers.
Production
Each episode would start off with Fu Manchu and Nayland Smith playing a game of chessChess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
with the narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
telling us that "It is said the Devil plays for men's souls. So does Dr. Fu Manchu, evil incarnate." At the end of each episode, after Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie had foiled Fu Manchu's latest fiendish scheme, Fu Manchu would be seen breaking a black chess piece as the closing credits rolled.
The series was directed by noted serial director Franklin Adreon
Franklin Adreon
Franklin "Pete" Adreon was an American film and television director, producer, screenwriter, and actor.-Early life and career:...
as well as William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
. Unlike the Holmes/Watson type relationship of the films, the series featured Smith as a law enforcement official and Petrie as a staff member of the Surgeon General.
The series was similar in some ways to a serial but each episode ended in a resolution rather than a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
. Republic sent out a film crew to Hong Kong to shoot background footage and supplied stock footage
Stock footage
Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures and file footage are film or video footage that may or may not be custom shot for use in a specific film or television program. Stock footage is of beneficial use to filmmakers as it is sometimes less expensive than shooting new...
from its library of films.
Cast and characters
- Glen Gordon as Dr. Fu ManchuFu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...
- Lester MatthewsLester MatthewsLester Matthews was an English actor born in Nottingham, England, UK. In his career, he made more than 180 appearances in film and on television. He was on occasion erroneously credited as Lester Mathews and especially in later years was sometimes known as Les Matthews. He died on the 6 June 1975...
as Sir Denis Nayland Smith - Clark Howat as Dr. John Petrie
- Carla Balenda as Nurse Betty Leonard
- Laurette LuezLaurette LuezLaurette Luez was a United States supporting actor and successful commercial model who appeared in films and on television during a 20 year career. She was a widely known Hollywood celebrity during the 1950s, owing much to publicity about her social life...
as Karamaneh - John George as Kolb.